This page contains references and links to all electronic communications among City staff, and between City staff, Norfolk Southern, and the community regarding the establishment and operation of the Ethanol Transloading Facility. The communications, furnished in response to requests made under the Virginia Freedom of Information Act, cover the period from June 20, 2006 at 8 a.m. to May 29, 2008, at 5 p.m.

E-mail addresses and telephone numbers have been redacted to protect the privacy of residents and of City staff whose home and mobile phone numbers were included on the communications. To contact City officials or staff, please use the links on the left side of this page, or Contact Us.

Good morning everyone. After a
meeting and multiple phone calls here's where we are and what we will be
doing:

Fire will identify and provide specifications
for equipment, identify contractors and vendors, and prepare orders for
the equipment using City requisition documents. Fire can reference
and use any state or local government contractual agreement awarded
to the preferred vendor, i.e., when ordering equipment, Fire will ask vendors
if they have any on-going state or local government contracts for these
same pieces of equipment to which the City can reference its order. Fire
will forward all requisitions to Purchasing

Purchasing will actually procure the
equipment using expedited processes by referencing emergency authorities
to be granted by the City Manager's Office. Michael Jackson of Purchasing
will handle all ethanol-related requisitions.

Accounting will set up a separate OCA
for these requisitions and will invoice Norfolk Southern (NS) for the equipment,
either on a invoice-by-invoice basis or as a lump sum. (I recommend billing
NS on an invoice-by-invoice basis as there may be staggered receipt of
equipment which would delay receipt of NS funds by the City even though
costs would have been incurred).

Fire will draft an MOU, to be delivered
to NS via e-mail, specifying the conditions under which an invoice (or
invoices) will be submitted by the City to NS. The MOU will be reviewed
and approved by the City Attorney prior to transmittal to NS. (Note:
I discussed invoicing with Douglas McNeil of NS. All invoices will
be sent to his attention. He had no preferences whether invoices
would be sent to him on a case-by-case basis or as a lump sum.)

The only pending item is to
determine the method in which the City will accept the equipment as a “gift”
or “donation," e.g., (1): designate the equipment donation as a routine
gift accepted by Council as part of the monthly financial report from Finance/OMB;
or (2) designate the equipment donation as a “noteworthy gift,” present
before the Council, and secure a motion to approve the City Manager’s
recommendation to accept the gift. This decision is pending. Action is
with the City Manager's Office.

That's it so far. Has been a busy morning.
Thanks to George, Ray, Michale, Virginia and Steve for their time, advice,
and assistance.